SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Aug. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/—Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:SWHC) , parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, announced today that the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) has equipped its entire officer force with primary duty side arms from Smith & Wesson's Military & Police (M&P) Series of advanced-design polymer pistols. The Smith & Wesson M&P40, chambered in .40 S&W, will be issued to each officer of the Maryland NRP to replace currently issued non-Smith & Wesson firearms supplied by a European-based manufacturer.

Officials at the Maryland NRP indicated that the M&P pistol incorporates several key features that are valuable for their officers, including enhanced ergonomics and ambidextrous controls. The department added that the polymer pistol's interchangeable grip sizes and ease of maintenance, as well as the officers' ability to disassemble the firearm without pressing the trigger were all key factors in their decision-making process.

Other full-conversion in-state police departments and agencies that have selected the M&P pistol for use in Maryland include the Charles County Police Department, the Gaithersburg Police Department, Howard County Probation, Queen Anne's County Police Department, Seat Pleasant Police Department, St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office and the Greenbelt Police Department. The contract with Maryland DNR represents the first Maryland state agency that has converted to the M&P Series of pistols.

Leland Nichols, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Smith & Wesson said, "We are extremely pleased with the continued success that the M&P pistol has achieved in police departments across the nation. Contracts from sizeable state agencies such as the Maryland NRP not only provide a respected endorsement for the M&P Series, but they also allow other departments within the state the ability to access the testing and evaluation results. This often saves smaller agencies the time, expenses and manpower of conducting their own analyses."

The M&P pistol features a Zytel polymer frame reinforced with a rigid stainless steel chassis and a through-hardened black Melonite finished stainless steel barrel and slide for durability; a passive trigger safety to prevent the pistol from firing if dropped; and a sear release lever that eliminates the need to press the trigger in order to disassemble the firearm. A loaded chamber indicator is located on top of the slide. The firearm also features an ambidextrous slide stop and a reversible magazine release, as well as an enlarged trigger guard designed to accommodate gloves. The M&P40 has a 15 + 1 capacity and the Smith & Wesson lifetime service policy is standard with each pistol. The M&P pistol series is available in 9mm, .40S&W, .357SIG, and .45ACP calibers. Compact versions of the M&P pistol are also available for concealed carry and back-up use.